obtuse

adjective

äb-ˈtüs How to pronounce obtuse (audio)
Definition of obtusenext
1
as in blunt
lacking sharpness of edge or point obtuse scissors designed so that young users will not cut themselves

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily forgive me for being obtuse, but I wish you'd explain that to me again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective obtuse differ from other similar words?

The words blunt and dull are common synonyms of obtuse. While all three words mean "not sharp, keen, or acute," obtuse implies such bluntness as makes one insensitive in perception or imagination.

too obtuse to take the hint

When might blunt be a better fit than obtuse?

The synonyms blunt and obtuse are sometimes interchangeable, but blunt suggests an inherent lack of sharpness or quickness of feeling or perception.

a person of blunt sensibility

When is it sensible to use dull instead of obtuse?

The words dull and obtuse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dull suggests a lack or loss of keenness, zest, or pungency.

a dull pain
a dull mind

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of obtuse In addition, the organization was accused of obtuse voting processes, lack of diversity and vicious internecine battles. — Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 12 Jan. 2026 Chaikesh learned to conceptualize and think of AI not as a black box (as in, an obtuse system where users can’t follow its internal logic) but as a discipline grounded in clarity and fundamentals. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025 And suggesting that Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed should be on a Ryder Cup team in 2025 is both willfully obtuse and indicative of a person looking back, not forward. — Hugh Kellenberger, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 Looking to boost Hispanic voter engagement, in the spring of the election year, Obama ignored Congress and took a constitutionally obtuse executive action shielding immigrants who came to the United States illegally as minors from deportation. — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 19 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for obtuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obtuse
  1. blunt
  2. dumb
  3. blunted
  4. stupid
  5. slow
  6. simple
  7. thick
  8. dense
Adjective
  • Prosecutors said Thursday that investigators encountered evidence of a violent physical struggle inside the home and that preliminary evidence indicated both victims suffered blunt-force trauma.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • As to whether a renovation like the one proposed at 705 Woodruff Place was in alignment with the city’s UDO, Peugh was blunt.
    — Diamy Wang August 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of blunt
Adjective
  • The friends aren’t dumb; they’ve just been baked for so long that acting dumb is a habit.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Perhaps in writing it, Salinger was trying to negotiate whether his remarkable survival through some of the war’s worst gauntlets could be chalked up to dumb luck, or divine intervention.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • The results have been impressive enough from far away, but examined more closely as a blunted, external force, Big Brother has almost always been too literal in horror cinema.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
  • Orientation matters; garlic is planted vertically, with the root (blunted) end of the clove facing down, and the sprout (pointy) end facing up.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 3 Mar. 2026
Definition of blunted
Adjective
  • Far too much coverage of declining trust in science — particularly the anti-vaccine movement — is predicated on the assumption that its adherents are either stupid or crazy.
    — Rick Berke, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The Dodge Durango Hellcat is the most accessible way to go stupid-fast in a three-row family car thanks to the Escalade V‘s high price tag.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • Those include Japan’s massive debt that exceeds 200% of GDP, fiscal stimulus that’s expected to worsen the deficit, and a central bank that’s been slow to raise rates in the face of high inflation.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • With two outs, Junior Caminero hit a slow roller on a 1-2 slider that third baseman Encarnacion-Strand could not field cleanly for a run-scoring infield single.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • With other phones, even something simple like replacing an aging battery often requires melting adhesive, prying apart fragile glass panels, and decoupling cables.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
  • For a generation that grew up under those glowing Pizza Hut pendants, the appeal is simple.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Everything about the deer seemed oversize, including the thick, bullish body that met a neck that looked at least 24 inches around at its smallest.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Materials Professional agility courses where competitions are held use poles made from Polyvinyl chloride plastic pipes that are 3/4-inch thick and stand 40 inches tall.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of thick
Adjective
  • Elevated on an all-wood frame and ringed by tall evergreens, the home feels like a slice of Lake Tahoe in the middle of a dense suburb.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • They are being sculpted by intense radiation from nearby young stars, while new stars are forming inside the dense clouds.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of dense

Browse Nearby Words

obtunds
obtuse
obtuseness
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Cite this Entry

“Obtuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obtuse. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of obtuse for Spanish Speakers

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